From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Federal Government has solicited the support of the United Nations and Development Partners towards the implementation of the regional strategy for stabilisation, recovery and resilience of Boko Haram affected areas in Nigeria and other Countries of the Lake Chad Basin.
The National Coordinator, National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Rear Admiral YEM Musa (rtd) made the call at a side event of the ongoing Third United Nations Counter-Terrorism Week (CT Week) holding at the UN Headquarters in New York, United States of America, from 19 to 23 June, 2023.
The CT Week is a biennial gathering of Member States and international counter-terrorism partners.
NCTC Director Strategic Communication, Ozoya Imohimi, who made this known said The theme of the third CT Week is ‘‘Addressing Terrorism through Reinvigorated Multilateral and Institutional Cooperation’’
Imohimi, in a statement, said The National ´Coordinator disclosed that the reintegration of the vast number of repentant and low-risk individuals associated with Boko Haram and ISWAP poses a significant new challenge for the government of Nigeria, hence the need for more international support to addressing the menace.
“In the last six years since the adoption of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2349, Nigerian Government has undertaken several responses to address the impact of Boko Haram in the Lake Chad Basin, these efforts had guided the 2022 Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, the 2019 National Security Strategy, the 2017 National Action Plan for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism, as well as the 2016 National Counter Terrorism Strategy,” he said.
While expressing gratitude for the tremendous support from the United Nations and its entities for the rehabilitation efforts in Nigeria, Rear Admiral Musa (rtd) emphasised the need for more global awareness and support to address the inherent challenges and risks in reintegrating all categories of returning terrorists
“In particulsr, he expressed concern about terrorists moving around the sub-Saharan Africa. “In the Lake Chad Basin region, the UN and Developmental Partners must continue to strengthen support towards the implementations of the regional strategy for stabilisation, recovery and resilience of Boko Haram affected areas,”.